Culpeper County Jail evacuated due to fire

CULPEPER, Va. (AP) - The Culpeper County Jail was evacuated for about four hours after a fire that started in a clothes dryer.

Sheriff's Detective Angela Deavers says a deputy who tried to extinguish the Saturday morning blaze before firefighters arrived was taken to a hospital for treatment for smoke inhalation. No other injuries were reported, and damage was minimal.

Eighty-one inmates and one civilian employee were moved to the courthouse after the 9:15 a.m. fire. Deavers said they were returned to the jail at 1:17 p.m.

Deputies handing out gifts to children at the department's annual Santa Cop breakfast at a nearby restaurant responded to the scene, where they were joined by other off-duty deputies.

Deavers said it was unclear what caused the dryer to catch fire.

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